The Buddha’s realisation

Just about every discretely observing 30 year old realises that life is fundamentally absurd, the collateral symptom being sorrow. That’s because life consists of a series of transient, that is to say, momentary, hence self-less acts ending in extinction.

The ‘cure’ for sorrow is either frenetic activity (i.e. as distraction) or sedation (achieved by means of Samadhi, culminating in the jhanas), both forms of dementia.

In short, after 30 (or gene transmission) ‘life is a never ending hangover’ to be treated with more intense intoxication.